In general, a delivery and transport management system in which packages of individual clients at overseas locations (also referred to as consignors) are transported to Japan is as follows. Namely, as shown in FIG. 1, for example, a consignor in Hawaii enters predetermined data into a foreign-to-home air waybill Ai and attaches the air waybill to a package 1. Then, the consignor calls a home delivery service company XX. The company transports the package 1 by an express vehicle.
As shown in FIG. 2, the foreign-to-home air waybill Ai is made of a plurality of sheets and includes a blank section for entering the client's name, address and telephone number, a blank section for passport number, a blank space for the receiver's address, a blank space for a reference number and a barcode (reference number). Titles for such blank spaces are written in the respective blank spaces in Japanese and English (Roman characters).
The predetermined data is entered in the blank spaces in the foreign-to-home air waybill Ai. Then, the air waybill is attached to the package 1 and the package is collected at a package collecting base at a region of Hawaii by an express vehicle. Thereafter, the package 1 is carried by another express vehicle to an overseas business base.
As shown in FIG. 1, the overseas business base is provided with a personal computer 2 (which is simply referred to as a PC 2 hereinafter), a label printer 3 and a printer 4 for entry papers on documents. These components are connected by a LAN. A barcode scanner 5 is connected to the PC 2.
When the package 1 is arrives at the overseas business base, an operator of XX home delivery service displays an input format for a label Bi on a screen of a display device and reads/scans a barcode on a copy Aip of the foreign-to-home air waybill Ai attached to the package 1, by the barcode scanner 5.
A reference number (also referred to as an air waybill number) of the barcode is displayed on a predetermined blank space in the input format for the label Bi on the screen. The operator inputs the receiver's (consignee's) address and telephone number and consignor's address and telephone number in English on the basis of the copy Aip of the foreign-to-home air waybill Ai. Then, by using the label printer 3, a label Bi as shown in FIG. 3 is printed and attached to the package 1. As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of labels with MASTER-AMB and HOUSE-AMB being written therein are prepared as the label Bi.
A registered customs specialist at the overseas business base of the XX home delivery service displays a format for entry papers or documents for departure or shipment of the package on a screen, reads the copy Aip of the foreign-to-home air waybill Ai and inputs information necessary for shipment (including product's name, product type, price, number of packages, consignee's address, consignee's telephone number etc.) in English. By using the printer 4 for entry papers or documents, the entry papers Di for shipment (written in English) can be provided. The papers are sent to the customs office in Hawaii.
The package 1 with the foreign-to-home air waybill Ai and the label Bi being attached thereto is carried to an airplane and loaded therein. Then, a worker on the field takes copies of the entry papers Di for departure (hereinafter referred to as entry papers Dia used for departure) into an office and sends the papers by fax to the clearance office of the XX home delivery service in Japan.
The XX clearance office of the XX home delivery service in Japan has a personal computer 10 (simply referred to as a PC 10 hereinafter) and a printer 11 for entry papers. When the entry papers Dia used for departure from Hawaii are sent to Japan, a registered customs specialist in Japan operates the PC 10 and prepares entry papers Ei on the basis of the entry papers Dia used for departure.
When the package 1a has arrived, an operator in Japan operates the PC 10 and inputs predetermined information based on copies of the foreign-to-home air waybill Ai and the entry papers Ei for the package 1a (including consignee's name, address, telephone number and a destination office code etc.) into an input format for a domestic shipping label. Then, by using a printer 12, a domestic label Bia (a label written in Japanese shown in FIG. 3) is printed. The resultant label is attached to the package 1a. Provided a number on the label Bia (e.g., a destination office code) is a new domestic number.
The package 1aa with the domestic label Bia being attached thereto is carried to a branch office (a sending office) at a larger region in the country. Then, the package is carried from the sending office to a smaller region in the country (destination office) and then finally to the consignee.
In recent years, services have been provided for delivering marine products and meats produced in A country to consignees in Japan as direct shipping. In accordance with such services, for example, a large amount of marine products and meats are imported from the A country (many times packed in units of tens of the products) and stored in storehouses. When a request is provided from a consignee, these foods are packed again for the consignee. Then, a label with the consignee's address, name and telephone number being written therein is printed and attached to the package. Finally, the package is delivered.
In accordance with the above-described conventional system, as well as the label Bi for departure on shipping, the entry papers Di for departure or shipping are provided for the package 1 in the overseas business base of the XX home delivery service.
In Japan (entry side), the domestic label Bia is newly provided. Namely, every time when a package is sent to Japan, a new domestic label is provided.
The entry papers are individually provided in Japan and a foreign country even if a company has the same system in Japan and the foreign country and the entry papers for Japan and the foreign country have the same contents.
Namely, even if a company has the same system in Japan and a foreign country, (three in total) labels and entry papers are created in both of the foreign country and Japan. Thus, providing the entry papers takes a great amount of labor and time. As a result, the problem of increased costs arises.
Further, an operator sends copies of the entry papers used for departure on shipping by fax to Japan after the package 1a is loaded into an airplane. Thus, it takes much labor for the operator. Also the operator may forget to send the papers by fax.
In such case, after the airplane arrives, the entry papers used for departure on shipping are sent. Subsequent to the domestic entry papers being prepared, the label Bia is attached to the package and the package is delivered to a consignee. Thus, it takes a long time for the package to be received by the consignee.
Even if the entry papers used for departure on shipping are sent by fax, the entry papers must be prepared manually. Accordingly, when a large number of copies of the entry papers used for departure are sent by fax, a registered customs specialist must carry out a large number of operations. Thus, even when the package 1a arrives, the entry papers for the package may not have been prepared. As a result, it takes a long time for the package to be received by the consignee.
Especially, when a large number of packages have arrived, these packages must be stored in storehouses until entry papers and labels for earlier arrived packages are prepared. Thus, there arise problems in that an additional cost is incurred for storing the packages in storehouses and a longer time is required for a package to be received by a consignee.
A consignee desires to receive a package as soon as possible. Nevertheless, even if a company has the same system in a foreign country and Japan, labels must be created in both Japan and the foreign country. Further, entry papers are prepared from entry papers used for departure sent by fax. Thus, when a large number of packages arrive, it takes a long time for a package to be received by a consignee.
In accordance with services for delivering marine products and meats of A country to consignees in Japan by direct shipping, products must be re-packaged and stored in storehouses. Consequently, a cost is incurred for storing the packages in storehouses and much labor is required for packaging again, resulting in increased costs. Further, it takes a long time for a package to be received by a consignee.